The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1887-11-17

OHlOAGO, NOV. Il.--o u. m.-AL II laLe
hour yesterday, afternoon, the Governor
cOmmuted the sentences of Fielding
and Suhwab to Imprisonment for life.
The Others must hang today.
The following is the Governors de-
cisiOn in full
STATE or ILLINOIS,
EXECUTIVE OFFICE,
SPRINGFIELD, Nov. 10, 1887.
On the goth day of August, 1886, in
the Cook county criminal court August
Spies, Albert Il. Parsons, Samuel
Flelden, Michael Schwab, AdOlph
Fischer, George Engel and Louis Lingg
were found guilty by the verdict of the
jury and afterwards sentenced to be
hanged for the murder of Matthias j.
Degan.
An appeal was taken from such find
ing and sentence to the Supreme Court
of the State. That court upon final
hearing and after mature deliberatiOn
unanimously affirmed the judgment of
the court below. The case now comes
before me by petition of the defendants
for consideration, as Governor of the
State. If the letters of Albert Parsons,
AdOlph Fischer, George Engel and
Louis Lingg demanding unconditional
release" or as they express 1t,
LIBERTY OR DEATH"
and protesting in the strongest Ian.
guage against mercy or communication
of the sentence pronounced against
them can:be considered petitions, par
don, could it be granted, which might
imply any guilt whatever upon the
part of either of them, would not be
such YindicatiOn as they demand.
Executive Intervention upon the
grounds insisted upon by the four
above named persons could in no prop
er sense be deemed an exercise of the
constitutional power to grant reprieVes,
communications and pardOns, unless
based upon the belief on my part of
TAEIR ENTIRE INNOCENCE
of the crime of which they stand con
YiCted. A careful consideration of the
evidence in the record of the trial of
the parties, as well as of all alleged and
claimed for them outside of the record,
has failed to produce upon
my mind any impression tending
to impeach the verdict of the
Jury or the judgment of the trial
court or of the supreme court affirming
the guilt of these parties. Satisfied,
therefore, as l am, Of their guilt, l am
preCluded from considering the queS-
tiOn of communication of the sentences
of Albert X. Parsons, AdOlph Fisher,
George Engel and Louis Lingg to
IMPRISONMENT IN THE PENITENTIARY ,
as they emphatically declare they will
not accept such Communication. Samuel
Fielden, Michael SChwab and August
Spies unite in petition for executive
clemencY," Fielden and Schwab, in
addition, present separate and supple
mentary petitions for the communication
of their sentences. While, as said
above.
IAN SATISFIED OF THE GUILT,
of all the parties, as found by tho yer.
dict of the jury which was sustained
by the judgments of the courts, a most
careful consideration of the whole sub
ject leads me to the conclusion that the
sentence of the law as to Samuel
, Fielden and Michael Schwab may be
modified as to each of them in the
interest of humanity and without doing
, violence to public justice. And as to
, the said Samuel Fielden and Michael
Schwab the sentence is committed to
imprisonment in the
PENITENTIARY FOR LIFE
AS to all the other above named de-
PENDANTS do not feel justified in inter
fering with the sentence of the court.
While | would gladly have come to a
! different conclusion III regard to the
sentence of defendants August Spies
AdOlph Fischer, George Engel, Albert
r. Parsons and Louis Lingg, regret
, to say that under the solemn sense of
the obligations of my Office have been
unable to do so.
RICHARD j. OGLEsBY, Governor.
THE CONSULTATION.
SPRINGFIELD, ILL, Nov. 10.--The
following is a copy of the instrument
officially committing the sentence of
Fielden and Schwab:
STATE OF ILLINOIS,
EXECUTIVE DEPARTMENT.
7 Richard j. Oglesby, Governor of Hi.
nois, to Sheriff of Cook county, greet
: ing
: Whereas, Samuel Fielden and Mich,
4 ! ael SChWab were convicted mt the June
y NNlll, a. ~ iD''j VI VIC AtllLlllGtl NUlll
t of Cook county, of the crime of murder
9 and were sentenced therefore to be
hanged, and
) Whereas, 1t has been presented by di
a verS good citizens of said county that
/, said Samuel Fielden and Michael
< Schwab are tit and proper subjects fol
t executive clemency.
5 Now know ye that l, Richard j
:. Oglesby, Governor of Illinois, by au
!. thority in me vested by the Constitu
v ton OF this State, do by these presents
commute the sentence of the said Sam
uel Fielden and Michael Schwab to i'm
prisonment in the penitentiary for life
h In testimony whereof hereto Sc
g my hand and cause to be affixed th'
S great seal of the State.
: Done at the city of Springfield thi
IL 10th day of November, in the wear o
g our Lord one thousand eight hundred
II and eighty seven, and of the independ
y enCe Of the United States the one hun
i dredth and twelfth.
,e r. j. OGLEsBY, Governor.
d IL. ID. DEMENT,, Secretary of State.
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